The Southernmost World: Antarctica, Part 3: Life On Board

Text by Yu Tai

Filming by Yu Tai

Editing by Yu Tai

This was a hand-drawn nautical chart, signed by the captain of World Traveller and others. A woman bought it at auction for USD 1,100 as a keepsake.

Boarding at the port of Ushuaia, the sky was utterly clear. The moored ship, the wide waters and the town at the foot of the mountains all waited inside a strong current of joy, lifting interest steadily with every step.

After putting down my luggage, I rushed straight to the deck. It felt as though all of heaven and earth was flowing with an eye-catching blue. In the distance, a red ship teased and seized the eye. In all that blue, the red point could not escape attention. I kept pressing the shutter on my phone, excitedly gathering everything before me into my desire.

From the moment we boarded, the Antarctica I had dreamed of truly began to appear. A real Antarctica journey, imagined thousands of times, had become much clearer. The warmth on board made me feel welcome. Though language was a barrier, it did not prevent greetings and kindness.

This was a five-star ship, with 133 crew members serving us from more than twenty countries. To have boarded was to become part of this temporary circle of fate.

Everything on board felt new to me. I had taken ships before, but World Traveller felt different. In the corridors there was always a faint plant-like fragrance, never sharp, only a soft trace that calmed the mind.

I have a habit: whenever I enter a new environment, I quickly learn it. Fire exits and safety doors are the first things I must understand. So I moved up and down, level by level, and in less than half an hour I had learned the passageways and doors.

I was fortunate to share a room with a young woman from Beijing. The room was small but refined.

Small as it was, it had everything we needed.

It did not affect our rest at all. The hygiene was excellent. The clean surroundings made someone as casual as me feel almost restrained.

As the journey continued, warmth accompanied us all the way. The most pleasing thing was the unity of people and scenery. Standing on deck, with a cool breeze and the faint scent of the sea in my nose, I looked toward the distant sky and felt as if I had entered an unreal world.

The first night on board was extraordinarily romantic. Fine food and piano music accompanied us into our first sunset at sea.

Only then did I understand how unbelievable a night of just four hours could be. There was no thick black curtain, no full sky of stars, no heavy darkness. Everything was exciting, everything stirred imagination.

I do not know how that first night passed, nor when the ship slipped into the Drake Passage.

In my excitement, I waited for sunset and sunrise, because in my imagination, the Drake Passage must have its own special sunsets and sunrises.

When the second day opened, activities sprang up one after another. Life on the ship was rich and varied: lectures, events, different programs, luxurious and nutritious meals three times a day. We enjoyed five-star service.

Each day moved between anticipation and excitement. The luxurious and comfortable journey made every traveler forget fatigue and the discomfort of drifting at sea. After the excitement, I slept deeply, dreamless and worry-free. The night was short, but waking felt like returning from another world. Each day, I lifted the curtain to look at the sky and the sea. I had brought two books but never opened them, because I wanted to enjoy this leisurely life and remind myself that I was no longer young.

People asked whether I got seasick. To be honest, a few people did feel sick and vomited, but my own discomfort passed quickly and did not affect my lively state.

I would often ask for a cup of coffee and pretend to be deep in thought. In truth, the waves inside my heart were so vast that I felt transformed by temptation itself.

This installment lets the videos speak. Please watch patiently. Thank you.

The following three videos were filmed by fellow travelers.

Humpback whales.

A remarkable moment of a seal catching a penguin.